A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by six persons, including two minor boys, who thrashed her after committing the crime necessitating hospitalisation in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh, police said on Sunday.

Police have arrested three accused in connection with the incident which occurred on Saturday under the limits of the Naigarhi police station area, about 70 km from the Rewa district headquarters, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Anil Sonkar told PTI.

The district administration has demolished the illegal building structure of the three accused, another official said, adding that the same treatment would be meted out to the three others who were involved in the crime, he added.

The victim with her male friend had gone to a temple on Saturday afternoon and when the duo was chatting, four men and two minor boys arrived at the spot, the ASP said.

They dragged the girl in front of her friend and took her to a place near a water body where they raped her, he said.

According to the complainant, she and her friend begged to spare them but the accused did not relent, Sonkar said.

"After raping the girl, they thrashed her and took away her mobile phone and anklet," he said, adding that they also threatened her before fleeing.

A police team rushed the girl to a hospital as her health deteriorated, the police officer said.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered under sections 376 (d) (gangrape), 395 (Punishment for dacoity), and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

"Three accused have been arrested while a hunt is on to trace others," the police officer said.